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India's Public Distribution System. A National and International Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Radhakrishna, R.
  • Subbarao, K.

Abstract

Since reducing poverty is one of the major development challenges facing India, the country has introduced a wide range of economic reforms, including a direct anti-poverty program, the Public Distribution System (PDS). This quantity-rationing food subsidy program has contributed to the upward pressures on food prices and ensured access of food to urban consumers. Yet, the findings of this report suggests that the welfare gains of PDS in terms of income transfer were very meager and the impact on poverty and nutritional status minimal. This paper estimates the gains and costs of PDS, assesses the Indian government's recent moves towards a better targeted PDS, and considers various options for reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Radhakrishna, R. & Subbarao, K., 1997. "India's Public Distribution System. A National and International Perspective," World Bank - Discussion Papers 380, World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:fth:wobadi:380
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. World Bank, 2006. "Repositioning Nutrition as Central to Development : A Strategy for Large Scale Action," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7409, December.
    2. A. Ganesh-Kumar & Ashok Gulati & Ralph Cummings & Jr., 2008. "Reforming Foodgrains Management : Achieving Food Security with Cost-Effectiveness," Development Economics Working Papers 22152, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    3. Jos Mooij, 1999. "Food policy in India: the importance of electoral politics in policy implementation," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(4), pages 625-636.
    4. Ravallion, Martin, 1999. "Appraising Workfare," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 14(1), pages 31-48, February.
    5. Amita Shah & Saroj Kumar Nayak & Bipin Das, 2010. "Remoteness and Chronic Poverty in a Forest Region of Southern Orissa: A Tale of Entitlement Failure and State Apathy," Working Papers id:3034, eSocialSciences.
    6. Lanjouw, Peter & Ravallion, Martin, 1998. "Benefit incidence and the timing of program capture," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1956, The World Bank.
    7. World Bank, 2003. "India : Sustaining Reform, Reducing Poverty," World Bank Publications - Reports 14617, The World Bank Group.
    8. World Bank, 2010. "Egypt, Arab Republic of - Food Subsidies : Benefit Incidence and Leakages," World Bank Publications - Reports 2913, The World Bank Group.
    9. Ravallion, Martin, 1998. "Appraising workfare programs," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1955, The World Bank.
    10. Jha, Raghbendra & Bhattacharyya, Sambit & Gaiha, Raghav, 2011. "Social safety nets and nutrient deprivation: An analysis of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Program and the Public Distribution System in India," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 189-201, April.
    11. Merlinda D. Ingco, 2003. "Agriculture, Trade, and the WTO in South Asia," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15072, December.
    12. Umali-Deininger, Dina L. & Deininger, Klaus W., 2001. "Towards greater food security for India's poor: balancing government intervention and private competition," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 25(2-3), pages 321-335, September.
    13. Nugent, Jeffrey B. & Sarma, C. V. S. K., 2002. "The three E's--efficiency, equity, and environmental protection--in search of "win-win-win" policies: A CGE analysis of India," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 19-50, March.
    14. Chalasani, Satvika, 2012. "Understanding wealth-based inequalities in child health in India: A decomposition approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2160-2169.
    15. Dorosh, Paul A., 2001. "Trade Liberalization and National Food Security: Rice Trade between Bangladesh and India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 673-689, April.
    16. Masiero, Silvia, 2015. "Redesigning the Indian Food Security System through E-Governance: The Case of Kerala," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 126-137.
    17. World Bank, 2002. "India : Power Sector Reform and the Poor," World Bank Publications - Reports 15286, The World Bank Group.
    18. Deb, Surajit, 2010. "The Grain Management in Andhra Pradesh: Scope for Reforms," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 65(2), pages 1-25.
    19. David Coady, 2015. "Designing and Evaluating Social Safety Nets: Theory, Evidence, and Policy Conclusions," Working Papers id:7496, eSocialSciences.
    20. Dev, S. Mahendra & Ravi, C. & Viswanathan, Brinda & Gulati, Ashok & Ramachander, Sangamitra, 2004. "Economic liberalisation targeted programmes and household food security," MTID discussion papers 68, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    21. Coady, David P., 2004. "Designing and evaluating social safety nets," FCND discussion papers 172, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    22. Masiero, Silvia, 2016. "Digital governance and the reconstruction of the Indian anti-poverty system," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 68483, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    23. Tarozzi, Alessandro, 2005. "The Indian Public Distribution System as provider of food security: Evidence from child nutrition in Andhra Pradesh," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(5), pages 1305-1330, July.
    24. Srinivasan, T. N., 2000. "Poverty and undernutrition in South Asia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 269-282, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    INCOME ; FOOD ; SUPPLY;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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